


Sons

by Monchevy Love (bam469)



Category: Versailles (TV 2015)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 15:09:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15342513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bam469/pseuds/Monchevy%20Love
Summary: A short one off since the show decided to ignore both Alexandres....





	Sons

Philippe and the chevalier sat under the warm summer sun watching Alexandre toddle around in the grass chasing a butterfly. His ever present governess followed a step behind hands ready to catch him if he tripped. 

Philippe laid his head against the chevalier's shoulder and sighed contentedly. 

The chevalier smiled, took Philippe's hand and kissed it. "He is perfect."

"You are perfect," Philippe replied. 

"I believe you may be the only person who thinks that," the chevalier said with a smirk.

"Perfect for me then," Philippe responded. "Look at his fat little legs."

The chevalier watched the child thinking of his own son also named Alexandre. He would be 4 now though he had seen the boy only twice. The child had been born of his exile and it was not a topic of which he cared to remind Philippe and so the boy lived with his brother and sister-in-law. 

"What are you thinking about?" Philippe asked.

"Nothing," the chevalier said.

"Liar," Philippe said. 

The chevalier sighed. "I was thinking of my son."

Philippe hid his surprise. "He would be about 4 now, yes?"

"Yes," the chevalier said.

"When did you last see him?" Philippe asked.

"Two years ago," the chevalier said quietly. 

"You could see him more," Philippe suggested.

"To what end? I send money," the chevalier said.

"Money is not a father," Philippe said.

"In my personal experience, fathers are overrated."

"I wouldn't know," Philippe said. "Though being a father is not overrated. I would recommend it, in fact." He smiled as the toddler barreled at him. He hugged the little boy and cuddled him on his lap. "You are getting so big. Soon we shall get you a pony. Would you like that?"

"PONY!" yelled Alexandre with excitement.

Philippe smiled. "Not at all overrated. Perhaps you should bring him here for a visit. He could play with my Alexandre."

"You are serious?" the chevalier asked with surprise. "You were furious when I told you."

"I was furious that you slept with some...woman. I am not furious at the child," Philippe explained. "And it was four years ago and...well...."

"Well...."

"I may have overreacted," Philippe said sheepishly. "I am not furious anymore and it might be nice for Alexandre to have the occasional playmate."

"So I should bring my bastard son here, to court? To play with a prince? Have you really thought this through?"

"Well, you could legitimize him," Philippe suggested. "Louis has made it all the rage, after all." 

"Why is this important to you?" the chevalier asked. 

Philippe looked at the chevalier and then at his son dozing in his arms. "Because I think it's important to you and I don't want to be the reason you don't have this experience. I know that there are experiences that I keep you from having. Like a wife and legitimate children. Things that you have sacrificed for me."

"The sacrifice would be not having you, my love," the chevalier said quietly, gently touching Philippe's face. 

Philippe kissed the chevalier softly. "Will you consider this?"

The chevalier smiled. "I would like to do this if you are really not upset by it."

Philippe smiled. "I will welcome him and treat him as if he were my own. The way you treat my children."

The chevalier smiled. "Thank you."

 

The chevalier paced nervously in the Orleans salon. His brother was bringing his son to court today and the chevalier was having second thoughts

"Please sit," Philippe said, not looking up from his book. "You will wear out the floor."

The chevalier continued to pace.

Philippe looked up from his book. "You are quite nervous about this. I see no need." He got up and physically stopped the chevalier's pacing. "What do you fear?"

The chevalier looked at Philippe, a hundred answers going through his mind. He opted for the truth. "What if I am bad at this? What do I know of being a good father?"

"More than I knew when Marie Louise was born," Philippe replied.

"How do you figure that?" the chevalier asked.

"Well, I knew nothing because I had no father but you had a horrible father so you know to do the opposite," Philippe reasoned.

The chevalier considered this. "That...makes sense."

The Comte d'Armagnac entered the salon with a four year old boy in tow. The boy's hair was long and blond, his face angelic and beautiful. 

The chevalier stared at him, paralyzed.

Philippe walked over to the boy and knelt down to his eye level. "I am Philippe. What's your name?"

"Alexandre," the boy replied. "Are you really a prince?"

"I am," Philippe replied. "As is my son who is about your age. Would you like to meet him? His name is Alexandre too."

Alexandre considered this oddity but then accepted it. "Yes, I would, your highness." 

"He will be out in a moment. He just woke up from a nap," Philippe said. "There is someone else I would like you to meet. You've met him before but you were too young to remember." 

"How old was I?" Alexandre asked. 

"You were just two," Philippe said. "Much older now and with a much better memory."

Alexandre nodded solemnly. 

Philippe stood and offered his hand to Alexandre who took it. He walked the boy over to the chevalier. "This is my dearest friend." He looked pointedly at the chevalier. 

The chevalier took a breath and then knelt down in front of Alexandre.

"Like looking in a mirror?" Philippe asked with a smile. 

"Do you know who I am?" the chevalier asked Alexandre.

"You are the dearest friend of the nice prince," Alexandre answered.

The chevalier smiled. "Yes, he is a nice prince and he is my dearest friend but I am also...your father."

Alexandre considered this. "Like Uncle Louis is to my cousins?"

"Yes," the chevalier answered. 

"May I call you Papa? That is what my cousins call my uncle," Alexandre explained. 

"I would like that," the chevalier said with damp eyes. "And I will call you my son."

Alexandre smiled slightly. 

The chevalier gently touched the boy's face and smiled at him.

"Are you a prince too?" Alexandre asked the chevalier.

"Of a sort. A prince etranger," the chevalier said unsure how to explain French nobility to a 4 year old. "But not a prince like the nice prince is. He is a prince of France."

Alexandre nodded. 

"There is one other thing. Well...two others," Philippe said pulling some papers out of a drawer. "First, these have been approved." He handed a set of papers to the chevalier. 

"These papers mean that everyone will know that you are my son," the chevalier explained to Alexandre. He looked up at Philippe wondering about the other set of papers. 

Philippe handed the second set to the chevalier.

The chevalier read the title page and looked at Philippe in surprise. 

"One begets the other," Philippe said with a smile. 

"Would you like to be a chevalier like me, Alexandre?" the chevalier asked the boy. 

The boy brightened. "Like a knight of the round table?"

The chevalier looked at Armagnac questioningly.

"It's a good story," Armagnac said with a defensive laugh.

"It's ENGLISH," Philippe said in horror. "We will find more appropriate reading materials from now on." He knelt beside Alexandre. "But yes, like a knight of the round table though your sword will serve the king of France not King Arthur or England."

"It would be my honor," Alexandre said with a bow to Philippe. 

Philippe smiled. "The honor will be ours, Chevalier de Beauvernois." He rose and walked across the room to get his sword. "A paper is not a sufficient pledge of your loyalty though. You must kneel before me."

Alexandre knelt in front of Philippe wide-eyed. 

Philippe solemnly placed the sword on Alexandre's right shoulder and then raised the sword and lowered it to the boy's left shoulder. "As Prince of France and Lieutenant-General of the French Armies, I hereby dub you a chevalier of France to be called into service as needed. Will you heed my call?"

"Yes, your highness. Always," Alexandre said solemnly. 

Philippe bit back a smile. "You may rise."

Alexandre stood. 

"You are officially the Chevalier de Beauvernois," Philippe said, handing Alexandre his insignia. 

"Thank you, your highness," Alexandre said. "My sword will never fail you." 

Philippe smiled at Alexandre. "I do not doubt it."

The chevalier smiled lovingly at Philippe. 

Alexandre de France and his governess entered the room. 

"Ah...there is my Alexandre," Philippe said. He walked over to the prince and took his hand. "I have someone I'd like you to meet. His name is Alexandre too." 

Alexandre smiled at Beauvernois. "I have new pony."

"I love ponies," Beauvernois answered. 

Alexandre smiled. 

"Would you like to go look at the pony?" the chevalier asked Beauvernois.

"I would...Papa," Beauvernois responded. 

Philippe nodded to the governess.

The governess held out her hands to the boys. 

Alexandre took her hand. 

Beauvernois began to take her hand and then ran back to the chevalier and hugged him tightly. 

"I'll be here when you get back," the chevalier assured Beauvernois trying to keep his emotions in check. 

Beauvernois nodded and then followed the governess and Alexandre out of the room.

The chevalier stood, walked over to Philippe and kissed him tenderly. "I love you."

Philippe smiled. "You are happy?" he asked the chevalier, his hand on his cheek. 

The chevalier nodded with tears in his eyes. 

"Then I am happy too," Philippe said.


End file.
